UPDATE REQ - Preventing Server Lag - Cheap and simple quarry overflow control

, Sat Jan 19 2013, 02:08PM

Hi All

The lure of BC pipes is their low cost. But they are a Bad Thing (tm). Everytime you place a BC pipe, a bunny/santa/$deityOfChoice cries.

So Pneumatic Tubes are the One True Way.

Here's a simple system for preventing quarries overflowing and lagging the server to the point of being unplayable. The odd thing is that it's quicker to make than explain so apologies for length...

TL;DR: Don't use BC pipes. Use Tubes. This is one way of not losing items and not killing the server. And bunnies.



The long tube to the right heads off to your Storage/Factory/Recyclers &c

Components:

Pneumatic Tubes
Redstone Tubes
Restriction Tube
Item Detector
Relay
Quarry
Energy Link

Tools:
Screwdriver/Sonic Screwdriver (to turn/rotate machines)

Summary:

The restriction tube (circled in red on the first image) makes the Item Detector (ID) the least preferred destination.

The single tube on the ID stops it spitting items on the ground. (Thus defeating the whole purpose of this exercise!)

The ID is set to "Stuffed Mode" by right clicking and pressing the button twice. (The other two modes are Item mode and Stack Mode). Stuffed Mode is easily recognised by the Red Cross through the button.



The ID's stuffed mode emits a redstone signal when stuffed (coincidentally enough...)



This signal is sent via Redstone Tubes to the Energy Link, which halts power output. (You could use wire, dust &c but this is neatest imho)

The Quarry has internal energy storage and will continue to run even when the Energy Link no longer supplies power.

The Relay serves 2 purposes:

1) Sends items down the tubes without need of a timer or other redstone pulse source.

2) Provides somewhere for the excess items from the Quarry to go when your storage is full/jammed/etc. A Relay has 9 slots which should be sufficient to store items from the Quarry until it runs out of power.

Restarting the system:

1) When you note that your Quarry has stopped and the Redstone Tube is lit, you have a problem in your tube network. Find it, clear space, unjam the sorting machine, whatever is applicable.

2) Empty the relay - this will probably happen anyway when you unstuff the tube network.

3) Either remove and replace the Item Detector or rotate it with a screwdriver until it is back when you started. When you to this you'll notice an item being spat out.

Random:

The Item Detector has an annoyance - you can't see the item that is jammed in it, hence the need to remove or rotate. But I understand this choice - if you just pull the item out it'll immediately jam again but, well, um... there you go.

Thanks to all CFUK Tekkit players for their assistance and critiques this is a much smaller system than the hugely over engineered solution I first created! (Especially to Boriseng, Wintershot, TechMav and my guinea pig/victim of choice, Rakkazoid)

Apologies to diablothe2nd for appropriating his post format

Comments, Improvements, Reasons why I should be committed for my own safety and of those around me &c very welcome. Arguments over CamelCase not so much...